Have Business Cards Gone the Way of the Dinosaurs?
Believe it or not, business cards have been around for centuries and are one of the first ways for a person or business to market themselves. Now, in the age of the cell phone, when we have every possible piece of information that we could possibly want right at our fingertips, are business cards still relevant? Or are they only good for winning a free lunch from a drawing at the cafe around the corner?
Indeed, technology is constantly moving forward, but business cards, in all their low-tech glory, aren’t dead yet. They’re still a useful way to share your information and make an impression with a potential client.
They’re Personal
When you hand someone a business card, you make eye contact. It’s almost a handshake and usually accompanies one. They’re more personal than an email or a LinkedIn invitation. If you send an email, you risk it getting ignored or worse yet, being stuck in a spam folder and never seeing the light of day. Sure, with a business card, you do risk it getting thrown in the ol’ circular file but they’re still looking at your card and that’s half the battle.
They’re a Physical Reminder
Business cards are more tangible than exchanging information online. When you look at the business card at a later time, you’re reminded of the person and when you met them. No one ever stumbles across an old email; nobody goes back and looks at those. But business cards get put in wallets or purses or stuck in a desk where they can be found later.
They Give Information Fast
Business cards are the fastest way to exchange contact information with another person and to ensure they get all of it accurately. You can include every way to contact you―phone number, address, email, website, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.―all in one place.
They’re the First Impression of You and Your Brand
A well-designed business card will grab attention. It promotes your brand and if you make one that’s unique, it may even get passed around for you. Using quality card stock, have your company’s logo and tagline or motto, and be professionally designed and printed. Remember, you only get one chance at that first impression.
They’re Old School
And so are some of your clients. Not everyone has the same aptitude as a teenager with smartphones. Many people still appreciate the simplicity of business cards.
They May Be Expected
If you do business internationally, you may be expected to offer a business card and will be judged poorly if you don’t.
They’re a Formality
There’s something to be said for tradition. Do you want to be the only person at a meeting not handing out a business card?
Business today has shifted from the conference room to the home office with more and more people doing their business and networking through Skype and Zoom. Despite the move fewer one-on-one meetings, business cards remain an important tool for selling yourself and your brand. You may not hand them out with the frequency that you once did, but business cards are still alive and kicking!
Intergetiks Marketing Solutions is a full-service marketing company that provides inbound and outbound marketing strategies to bring your brand from concept to reaching that target audience that will make your brand a success. From web design to online and print advertising to graphic design, Intergetik does it all. Call us today at (314)749-0492 or visit our website and let us know what we can do for you.